Automatic sanitary toilet-seat protector.



E. SPANOS. AUTOMATIC SANITARY TOILET SEAT PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. 1916. 1,265,272. Patented May 7,1918.

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AUTOMATIC SANITARY TOILET SEAT PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. 1.9!6.

Patented May 7,1918.

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AUTOMATIC SANITARY TOILET-SEAT PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1918.

Application filed May 20, 1916. Serial No. 98,793.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST SPANos, a subject of the King of Greece, residing in the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Automatic Sanitary Toilet-Seat Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

.This invention is an automatic sanitary toilet seat protector and the object of the invention is the provision of means for antomatically and intermittently advancing a web of tissue across a toilet seat so that a clean or fresh portion of the web Will be presented to each successive person using the seat.

Afurther object of the invention is the provision of mechanism which will shear off and deposit the portions of the web, as successively used, into the bowl so that when the bowl is flushed, said used portions of the web are carried away.

It has heretofore been suggested to pass a protective web across the toilet seat for sanitary and hygienic reasons Well understood, but the structures which have been suggested for use have generally been actu ated by movement of the seat cover or by other means which required manual operation while the party was occupying the seat. The objection to these devices was that in the first instance the cover is not always operated, and in the second instance the manual operations necessary are generally overlooked. Accordingly, the devices of this type were not positive in their operations and the successive users of the toilet were not automatically presented with unused portions of the web. Aside from the foregoing disadvantages, many othersexist in these types of device with the result that such constructions have never gone into use. The present invention overcomes the foregoing disadvantage in that it absolutely assures intermittent movement of the web be tween successive uses of the toilet.

Speaking generally, the invention embodies a web, preferably of tissue paper, which is drawn over the seat by a feed roll, movement of which is governed by pivotal movement of the seat itself. That is to say, the seat is normally maintained in a slightly raised position, and when the person sits upon the seat, the seat is depressed, whereupon certain agencies are brought into play which, when the person rises from the seat, automatically advance the web. The used portion of the web may be deposited within a suitable receptacle or may, in accordance with this invention, be deposited within the bowl and carried away during the flushing of the bowl.

Features of the invention other than those specified will be apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated different practical forms of the invention, but the structures therein shown are to be understood as illustrative only and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a toilet bowl and seat showing one embodiment of the present invention mounted thereon, the seat being shown in depressed position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but with the seat shown in its normally elevated position.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views corresponding to those of Figs. 1 and 2, but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken in the plane of the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmcnta]. view, similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a slightly modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the usual bowl to which a seat B is pivoted at its back by means of a hinge and pin connection 6. Secured to the under side of the seat, by any suitable means, and at the left-hand side thereof is a plate C which extends beyond the lateral edge of the seat and is formed into an elongated semi-cylindrical pocket 0 adapted to contain a roll of tissue pape D. A suitable cover 0', of substantially semi cylindrical form, is pivoted along its edge to the edge of the ockot as at c and serves to normally close tl ie pocket and house the roll D. Formed at the front and back of plate C are two upstanding lugs e which carry a horizontal directional roller E, the top of which is substantially flush with the top of the seat B.

Mounted at the other side of the seat, and on the under side thereof, are two brackets f which extend laterally of the seat and support the shaft near its opposite ends.

flush with the top of seat B. Tissue paper is adapted to be uncoiled from the roll I),

extend through a slit intermediate the free edge of the cover 0 and the pocket 0, pass over the directional roller E, and thence extend acrossthe top of the seat and about the feed .rollF, and means is provided for intermittently rotating the feed roll F to move said web across the seat with alternate feeding movements and periods of rest or dwell.

Affixecl to the forward end .of' shaft 7" is a cam or ratchet g,'prov1ded \'vith a shoulder 9, with which shoulder cooperates a pawl 9 pivoted to a pinion g loosely mounted on shaft f. Meshing withpinion g is a rack G :which is pivoted at h to a depending arm h of the-forward bracket f. Rigidly associated with-respect to the rack G is an arm '5, to-the free end of which is pivotally'se'cured a 'link z", and the other end of said link is fixed against longitudi' nal movement on an extension 2' of-a plate i secured in an suitable manner to the bowl and free rom connection with the seat. This plate 2' may be provided with a clamp. for detachably securing it to any stock bowl or may be secured directly thereto by screws as shown.

Because of the brackets f, which-rigidly support shaft f with respect to the seat, and the plate i which precludes longitudinal'm'ovement of link i, it will be manifest that pivotal movement of the seat will necessarily impartpivotal movement to the rack G, with theresult thatthe pinion g will be rotated. The parts are so formed that when 1 the pinion is rotating in a counter-clockwise direction, the pawl-g will ride 'idlyover the-cam g, whereas, when the pinion is rotated in a clockwise direction,

the pawl will engage with the shoulder g of the cam and drive the feed: roll in a clockwise direction. It will be noted that when the 'seatis lowered, the movement of the pinion will be in a counter-clockwise direction and no movement of the-feed'roll will result but, when the seat is raised, the movement of the pinion-will be in aclockwise direction and the'feedroll will be 'advanced. a

The seat-is normally maintained in "the slightly'elevated position'shown in Fig. 3 by means of a helical spring-secured at one end to the dependingportion h of the forward bracket 7' and 'at its other end to the rack carrying member G. The tension of the spring normally impels the rack in the position shown in Fig. 3 and, by so doing, imposes the weight of the seat upon the link 2', thereby lifting the seat, through the medium of the arm z, into the slightly elevated position shown. When weight is imposed upon the seat, as by a person sitting down, the tension of the spring J is overcome and the seat'is depressed, carrying with it the forward bracket f, its depending arm h and the pivotal point h of the rack. The free end of the arm 2' is precluded from such downward movement so that the rack is rotated into the position shown in Fig. 1. During this operation the rack rotates thepinion g in a counterclockwise direction and places the spring J under tension. As soon as the person rises from the seat B, the parts assume their initial position, the rack G rotating the pinion in a clockwise direction and turning the feed roll F with the result that the paper web D is advanced.

The feed roll F and the ratio between the teeth of the pinion and those of the rack are such that when the rack D travels its length past the pinion, the feed roll F will be rotated a suflicient number of times to ad vance paper web D to such extent as to present a clean, unused portion of the web over the seat. To preclude the feed roll F from over-traveling because of its inertia of rotation, the roll is provided with a stop or shoulder f which comes into engagement with a finger 9', formed on the rack carrying member G, when the rack is in its forward position, the position which it assumes at the terminus of its travel under the impulse of spring J. Accordingly when the rack has completed its travel in this direction, the finger g is positioned in the path of the stop f so that when the roll has been advanced the pie-described distance further movement of said roll is precludedv Thus the stop 7' and finger 9* likewise serves to place the shoulder g of the cam g in proper position to be subsequently operated upon by the pawl-g Moreover, to preclude'the rack G from travelingtoo far, a'stop 7c is formed on portion h of the forward bracket which engages. with the cam member 9 as shown in Fig. '3 when the same has reached the terminus of its forward travel. The parts are, therefore, at all times maintained in adjustment so that just the proper amountsof paper web are successively fed across the sea Tofacilitate the advancing'of the paper web and to assure the proper driving operation of the roll F, a pressure roll F; is provided which is resiliently impelled against the periphery of thefeed roll F, and the paper web is passed between these rolls so that sufficient friction is. assured as will preclude slipping.

0f course, the used portions of the paper web, after passing out of the feed roll=, are no longer of any use whatsoever and it is dc sirable to dispose of them in some simple and convenient manner. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated two methods for the disposition of this used material.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings I have shown means whereby the used portion of the web is coiled or rolled up after leaving the feed roll F, while in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 mechanism is shown for cutting off and depositing the used portions within the bowl A.

In carrying out the first mentioned form of invention, a cylindrical receptacle L is positioned directly below the feed roll and through said receptacle extends a shaft l on the rear end of which is mounted a pulley Z. On the corresponding end of the shaft 7' is I mounted a cooperating pulley Z and pulley Z is drawn from pulley Z through a. belt Z In initially adjusting the web, the end of the web is suitably secured to. the shaft Z interiorly of the discharge casing L so that during the operations of the feed roll F in advancing the web, the used portions of the web, after leaving the feed roll, are wound upon shaft Z within the discharge casing. The belt drive between shafts f and Z is preferred since it allows of slipping as the roll of used web becomes larger within the discharge casing L.

In the modified form of the invention shown in. Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the web D, instead of passing around the feed roll F, passes around a directional roll m which maintains the web in contact with the feed roll. After leaving rolls m and F, the web engages with the upper surface of a platen, which guides the web between the lower face of the seat and the upper surface of the bowl into the interior of the bowl. Mounted between brackets 0, which correspond to-the brackets f of the preferred form, is a fixed knife blade 0, and pivoted to, the rear bracket 0, as at 0 is a movable cutter blade P adapted to coiiperate with the fixed blade oto shear the web when the same is extending between said cutters.

Movable blade P normally gravitates away from the fixed blade 0, as shown in Fig. 6, and said movable blade has an arm 17 at its forward end which extends into the path of a cam track 2' mounted on the rack carrying member R which is substantially, in its essential particulars, like rack carrying member G, and is operated by a spring similar to spring J.

The organization of the parts are such that the web is advanced and projected into the bowl during the elevating movement of the seat. and during the greater part of such elevating movement, the arm p of the movable blade engages a low phase r of the cam track 1 However, as the seat nears the finishing point of its rising movement, the rising phase 1' of the cam track '1 comes into contact with,

and elevates, the forwardly projecting arm of the movable blade. This causes the blade P to be lifted into cooperative relation with the fixed blade 0 with the result that the web is cut and the portion extending into the bowl falls loosely therein. \Vhen the bowl is subsequently flushed, this portion of the web is carried away.

It will, of course, be understood that the general structure shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is substantially the same as that in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The modified form of construction is provided with a feed magazine similar to c, the feed roll is advanced by cotiperating rack and pinion with a ratchet and pawl connection, and the link 5 corresponds to the link 2" and operates in the same way. A detail description of these parts is, therefore, unes= sential though the proportions of the parts, in the modified form, may slightly vary from those of the preferred form.

Links 71 and s have been hereinbefore described as attached at their upper ends to a mounting afiixed to the bowl. In some bowls it might be difficult to secure a clamp thereon and, accordingly, if desired, the ends of these links, opposite to that which is con- .nected to the rack carrying member, may be attached to the floor in any suitable way. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 7, wherein all of the parts are identical with the showing of Fig. 1, with the exception that the link i, which corresponds to link :11, is secured to the floor on which the bowl rests, instead of directly to the bowl, as shown in Fig. 1.

It thus appears that practically all the mechanism of this invention is mounted upon the seat and the invention may, therefore, be expeditiously installed upon any bowl by simply securing thereto a seat on which the mountings of this invention are secured or by securing the mountings of the invention directly upo'nthe seat in use. In-the interest of clearness, the parts-are shown larger than need be for their practical operation and in the embodiment of this invention the seat is not in the least encumbered by heavy, unwieldy devices which are of an unsightly character. If desired, the operating mechanism may be entirely incased for sanitary as well as esthetic reasons.

It is frequently desirable to tilt up the seat into a vertical position for the proper cleansing of the bowl and this may be readily accomplished because of the detachable connection between the link i and the plate '5 The device of the present invention is highly efficient in its operation and is practical in every way. The paper web is advanced with accuracy and, if desired, means may be provided to preclude of a retrograde action thereof. This means may embody a plurality of serrations it along the edge of the discharge casing L, over which the paper runs after passing between the rolls F and F, to be rolled upon shaft Z. These serrations are so formed that the paper slides freely over the same in its forward travel but is impaled by the sharp points of the serrations when any retrograde movement of the web is made. Thus such movement is precluded so that the web is free to advance only and cannot slip backward over the feed roll.

It will be understood that, while I have illustrated the present invention in its preferred form, the same is capable of slight modifications in adapting the invention to its various environments, such as to seats or bowls of different characters. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is, not limited to the precise mountings or details of construction hereinbefore described, but is as broadly novel as is comnlensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invgntion, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a toilet seat mounted for pivotal movement above a bowl and normally elevated slightly above the same, a feed roll positioned at the side of said seat, a protecting web laid across said seat and in contact with the feed roll, a spring, connections between the seat and the spring, which connections place the spring under tension when the seat is depressed, and release the spring when the seat is elevated, driving connections between the spring and the feed roll for operating said roll, when the spring is released, to advance the protecting web across the seat, means for directing the used portions of the web into the interior of the bowl, and means for cutting off the used portions of the web from that portion thereof which remains unused, whereby the flushing of the bowl carries away the used portions of the web.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a toilet seat mounted for pivotal movement above a bowl and normally elevated slightly above the same, a

feedroll positioned at the side of said seat, a protecting web laid across said seat and in contact with the feed roll, a spring, connections between the seat and the spring, which connections place the spring under tension when the seat is depressed, and release the spring when the seat is elevated, driving connections between the spring and the feed roll for operating said roll, when the spring is released, to advance the protecting web across the seat, means for directing the used portions of the web into the interior of the bowl, and means, operable during the elevating movement of the seat, for cutting oil the used portions of the web from that portion thereof which remains unused, whereby the flushing of the bowl carries away the used portions of the web.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a toilet seat mounted for pivotal movement above a bowl and normally elevated slightly above the same, a feed roll positioned at the side of the seat, a protecting web laid across said seat and in contact with the feed roll, a stop associated with the feed roll, a loose pinion provided with a pawl cooperating with said stop, a member carrying a rack meshing with the pinion, a spring secured to the rack for normally imparting movement thereto for the pur pose of rotating the feed roll, said feed roll, rack and spring being mounted upon, and adapted for movement with, the seat, and a link secured to the rack-carrying member at one end and at its other end to the bowl, whereby the tension of the spring normally maintains the seat in a slightly elevated position and, in elevating the seat from a depressed position, actuates the feed roll.

4. In a device of the class described, a seat pivotally mounted above a bowl and normally elevated sli htly above the same, a feed roll at one side of the seat, a spring motor supported on the seat and movable therewith, connections between the spring motor and a fixed support for energizing the spring motor when the seat is depressed, which spring motor elevates the seat when the seat is released, and driving connections between the spring motor and the feed roll for imparting movement to the feed roll during the seat elevating operation.

5. A device for feeding a web of paper across a toilet seat, embodying a seat pivotally mounted above a bowl and normally elevated slightly above the same, a feed roll for the paper web at one side of the seat, a spring, connections between the spring and a fixed support for energizing the sprin when the seat is depressed and releasing sai spring when seat is elevated, a pinion associated with the feed roll, and a rack cooperating with the pinion, said rack being operatively connected with the spring whereby, when the spring is released, the feed roll is advanced and the web fed across the seat, all ofthe web advancing mechanism being mounted on the seat and supported thereby.

6. A device for feeding a web of paper across a toilet seat, embodying a seat pivotally mounted above a bowl and normally elevated slightly above the same, a feed roll for the paper web at one side of the seat, a spring, connections between the spring and a fixed support for energizing the spring when the seat is depressed and releasing said spring when the seat is elevated, a pinion loosely associated with the feed roll, a pawl and ratchet connection between the pinion and the feed roll, and a rack cooperating with said pinion and operativelylconnected with the spring whereby, when the spring is released, the feed roll is advanced and the paper Web fed across the seat, but, when the spring is again placed under tension, the pawl rides idly over the ratchet and the feed roll remains stationary, all of the web advancing mechanism mounted on the seat and supported thereby.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a toilet seat mounted for pivotal movement above a bowl and normally elevated slightly above the same, a feed roll mounted on said seat at one edge thereof, a protecting web laid across said Seat and in contact with the feed roll, a member pivotally supported on the seat, means pivotally securing said member also to a fixed support whereby pivotal movement of the seat oscillates the pivoted member, a spring cooperating with the pivoted member and adapted to be placed under tension by said member when the seat is depressed, said spring normally operating to oscillate the pivoted member into position to elevate the seat, and driving connections between the pivoted member and the feed roll for operating said roll when the seat is elevated to advance protecting web across the seat.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a toilet seat mounted for pivotal movement above a bowl and normally elevated slightly above the same, a feed roll mounted on said seat at one edge thereof, a protecting web laid across said seat and in contact with the feed roll, a member pivotally supported on the seat, means pivotally securing said member also to a fixed support whereby pivotal movement of the seat oscillates the pivoted member, a sprin cooperating with the pivoted member an adapted to be placed under-tension by said member when the seat is depressed, said spring normally operatin to oscillate the pivoted member into position to elevate the seat and means for cutting oil the used portions of the web from that portion thereof which remains unused.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a toilet seat mounted for pivotal movement above a bowl and normally elevated slightly above the same, a feed roll mounted on said seat at one edge thereof, a protecting web laid across said seat and in contact with the feed roll, a

member pivotally supported on the seat, a link secured at one end to the pivoted member and precluded against longitudinal movement y a fixed pivot at its other end whereby pivotal movement of the seat oscillates the pivoted member, a spring cooperating with the pivoted member and adapted to be placed under tension by said member when the seat is depressed, said sprin normally operating to oscillate the pivoted member into position to elevate the seat, and driving connections between the pivoted member and the feed roll for operating said roll when the seat is elevated to advance protecting web across the seat.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a toilet seat mounted for pivotal movement above a bowl and normall elevated slightly above the same, a feed r0 1 positioned at the side of the seat, a protecting web laid across said seat and in contact with the feed roll, a stop associated with the feed roll, a loose pinion provided with a pawl cooperating with said stop, a member carrying a rack meshing with the pinion, a spring secured to the rack for normally imparting movement thereto for the purpose of rotating the feed roll, saidfeed roll, rack andspring being mounted upon, and adapted for movement with, the seat, and means for pivotally securing said rack carrying member to a fixed support, whereby the tension of the spring normally maintains the seat in a slightly elevated position and, in elevatlng the seat from a depressed position, actuates the feed roll. I

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a seat pivotally secured to a bowl, a spring for normally partially elevating the seat, said spring bein supported on the seat and bodily movable t erewith, a feed roll mounted at one side of the seat, driving connections operable by the spring to actuate the feed roll when the seat is elevated for the purpose of feeding a protesting web across the seat, all of the web advancing mechanism being mounted upon the seat.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of afeed roll, a sprin motor for actuating the feed roll, a hanger or mounting the 'feed roll and its operating spring motor upon a toilet seat, means cooperating with the spring motor and with a fixed support for normally partially elevating the seat above the bowl with which it is associated, said spring motor bein energized when the seat is depressed, and riving connections between the spring motor and the feed roll whereby, when the seat is released, the spring motor elevates said seat and simultaneously operates the feed roll.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ERNEST SPAN OS.

copies of this patent may be obtained for an cents each, by addressing the Commissioner at intents, Washington, D. 0. 

